Should sleep but the mind never stops thinking about Megop so hereās another one
(Iacon and Kaon are in diff time zones)
Itās late, even the buzz of Iacon night life has long quieted. Orion hasnāt moved from his desk in so long his joints are stiff. Heās been waiting, comms open, tuned to a secure channel, no message yet.
He stretches after finishing another datapad, and checks the time. Megatronās match shouldāve ended ages ago. The pitās rarely on time, but there shouldnāt be this much of a delay. He refreshes the line, even though it wonāt make it ring any sooner.
When the call finally comes through, itās grainy like always, and Megatronās voice is low and tired.
āHey.ā
Orion doesnāt scold him, even though he really wants to. Wants to ask what happened, if heās hurt, how bad was it this time. But instead he says, āYouāre late.ā Then after a beat, āAre you okay?ā
Megatron doesnāt answer right away, but the delay is answer enough.
āI won,ā he says eventually.
Thatās it. No follow up. No rundown of the fight. No snide remark about his opponent. Orion sits up straighter.
āThatās not what I asked.ā
Megatron exhales through his vents, āIt was nothing.ā
Which, coming from Megatron, tells Orion everything.
āYou called late,ā Orion says, not accusing, just stating a fact. āI thought maybeā¦ā He doesnāt finish the sentence.
Megatron picks up on it anyway, āIām in one piece,ā he says. āYou donāt have to worry.ā
āI do anyway.ā
Thereās a long pause, not tense or uncomfortable, just quiet, it stretched on until Orion yawns.
This time Megatronās voice held a tinge of amusement, āWhat time is it over there?ā
āLate.ā
āThatās not a time.ā
Orion glances toward the window. The city is peaceful and quiet at this time. Orion doesnāt feel peaceful, he just feels tired.
āEarly morning.ā
āYou stayed up?ā
āMhm.ā
āEven though I didnāt call?ā
āOf course.ā
Megatron exhales again, softer this time.
āYou shouldāve gone to recharge.ā
Orion hummed noncommittally in response.
āOrion.ā
Itās just his name, but itās said with that particular gravity Megatron has when heās soft but stern, like a warning.
Orion leans his head back, staring at the ceiling before closing his optics. āYou just got out of a fight, youāre the one who should be resting.ā
āI will.ā
āYou always say that.ā
āAnd you always ignore your recharge cycle.ā
That gets a tired smile out of Orion. TouchƩ.
āIāll go recharge if you do,ā he bargains, knowing full well Megatron probably wonāt.
āIām not in a berth yet.ā
āThen weāre at an impasse.ā
Another silence. Megatron sighs, āJust go lie down, keep the line open if you want to.ā
āFine,ā Orion says, āIf I go quiet, donāt hang up.ā
āI wouldnāt.ā
āEven if I stop answering.ā
āI said I wouldnāt.ā
āOkay,ā Orion says eventually. āThen Iāll try.ā


















